the eleventh, wet or fine, he must set out from London, whether the House is sitting or not, in defiance of the most urgent three-line whips; and

grouse as they consider desirable; and then, having done his duty, as he thinks, in this respect, he retires precipitately with flying colours to Brighton, Nice, Monte Carlo,

th a sigh, as he stepped into his Pullma

per diem, he found a trifling piece of financial work cut ready to his hand, which amply

ad ever the genuine Midas-touch to a greater degree than Charles Vandrift: whatever he handles turns at once to gold, if not to diamonds. Therefore, as soon as my brother-in-law had obtained this option from the native vendor (a most respected chief, by name Montsioa), and promoted a company of h

on the spot, who had been hunting over the ground in search of gold-reefs. They reported that they had found a good auriferous vein in a corner of the tract, approachable by adit-lev

ime, in the self-same ridge, not very far from them, his miners had failed to discover the auriferous quar

ute the bound

ting over that. Can't pretend to deny it. No buying over the sun! No bribing the instruments!

oice in which he murmured that blessed

nothing about it, and join

sed one eye

territory of the option: "Young Granton has somehow given us the slip and gone

me to be lost. I must write this evening to Sir David-I mean to

o or three days ago that he wa

er out with me," my brother-in-law went on. "A very

might be almost prohibitive. That access to fuel was costly, and its conveyance difficult. That water was scarce, and commanded by our section. That two rival companies, if they happened to hit upon ore, might cut one another's throats by erecting two sets o

and Sir Charles, with the a

ed, for fear of falling into improper hands. Don't give it to

e miles from a railway station, though we look

orning Post next day that young Mr. Granton had stolen a march upon us. He had arrived from Afr

polite reply from the opposing int

ELLACHI

CHIE, INVE

at present full of guests-as is doubtless your own-and I should therefore find it practically impossible to leave Glen-Ellachie. Fortunately, however, my son David is now at home on a brief holiday from Kimberley; and it will give him great pleasure to come over and hear what you have to say in favour of an arrangement which certainly,

G-ELL

lves are, Sey." A sudden thought struck him. "Do you know," he cried, looking up, "I really believe the same thing must have happened to

eat him," I ventu

"though we can only get to know the whereabouts of their find by joining hands with them an

dent. "I suppose I shall have to put the man up for the night

ant-featured, red-haired, sandy-whiskered youth, not unlike his father; bu

laimed, in amazement. "Lady Vandrift will be so disappointed! Besides, this

He had an agreeable

go back. I've put up at the inn. I have my w

unpresentable young woman somewhere out in South Africa. Charles was of opinion that, as representative of the hostile interest, he put up at the inn, because it might tie his hands in some

old us his wife would be delighted to receive a call from Lady Vandrift and Mrs. Wentworth

sentence; and she was endowed with a slight squint, which somehow seemed to point all her feeble sallies. She knew little outside Sou

ckets. But it dawned upon us soon that, in spite of his red hair and his innocent manners, our friend, the Honourable David Granton, knew a thing or two. Gradually an

t's be business-like. You want to amalgamate. You wouldn't do that, of course, if you didn't know of something to the advantage of my father's company-say, a lode on our land-which you hope to secure for yourself by

ked at him

Or do you know some reason why it suits your father's book to amalgamate as well as it suits mine? And are you tryin

r time of life, you should pause to ask another financier whether he's trying to fill his own

"Most sound and sensible. But how do I know you haven't bargained already in the sa

his chance. Take it or leave it. Do you wish to purchase my aid for this amalgamation by a mod

sted, in a tentative voice,

is more usual," he answered, in a pec

he Count von Lebenstein, about the purchase-money of the schloss-and in the very same accent. I saw through it all now. Th

ust faint echoes of "fuel" and "reduction works." What on earth was I to do? If I told Charles my suspicion-for it was only a suspicion-the fellow might tur

the end young Granton went off, well satisfied, if it was young Gra

arles debated and discussed incessantly. He couldn't quite make up his mind what to do in the affair; and I certa

ad lots of good stories-mostly with points that told against the Craig-Ellachie people. Moreover, the Honourable David was a splendid swimmer. He went out in a boat with us, and dived like a seal. He was burning to teach Charles and myself

the Firth, and made an appointment one day with

my own bedroom. "Sey," he said, under his breath, "have

Suspicions of whom?" I asked. "Not surely

er-in-law looked a

not of Simpson: of these two young folks. My own

ible!"

. "I'm su

o you

incti

m, "do nothing rash. Remember how you exposed you

th to dress and to speak the part thoroughly.) "First thing to-morrow I shall telegraph over to inquire at Glen-Ellachi

e telegram reached the Lodge, I did not myself expect to see the reply arrive much before seven or eight that evening. Meanwhile, as it was far from certain we had not the real David Granton to deal with, it was necessary to be polite to our friendly rivals. Our experienc

ith Charles by her side, giggling and squinting her best, and then helped her husband to get the skiff ready. As she did so, Charles sidled up to me. "Sey," he whispered, "I'm an old hand, and I'm not readily taken in. I've been talking to that girl, and upon my soul I thi

es from the very beginning. And as to one thing he was right. In her timid, shrin

t and leaned back in the stern on the luxurious cushions. They rowed fast and well. In a very few minutes th

of timid chaff with Sir Charles, giggling all the while, half forward, half s

n and on, till they drew abreast of Seamew's island. It is a jagged stack or skerry, well out to sea, very wild and precipitous on the landward side, but shelving gently outward; perhaps an acre in extent, with steep gray cliffs, covered at that time with crimson

t innocently, lik

assion for flowers;" which was a flower of

n skipped after him. I confess it made me feel rather ashamed to see how clumsily Charles and I followed them, treading gingerly on the thwarts for fear of upsetting the boat, while the art

ng people bounded back into the boat, pushed off with a

n turned, and waved his hand at us gracefully. "Good-bye!" he sai

Off! What do you mean? You don't surely m

ded, and kissed her pretty hand to us. "Yes," he answered; "for the present. We reti

s exclaimed, per

ng. That shows you suspect me. Now, it is a principle of my system never to go on for one move with a game when I find myself suspected. The slightest symptom of distrust, and-I back out immediately. My plans can only be

et rose sheer from I'm sure I don't know how many fathoms of sea; and we could neither of us swim. Charles stre

hort and temporary imprisonment. We will send men to take you off. Dear David and I only need just time enough to get well ashore and make-oh!-a few slight alterations in our personal appearance." And she indicated with her hand, laughing, de

Sir Charles cried, mopping hi

this rock at the earliest possible moment consistent with my personal safety and my dear companion's." He laid his hand on his heart and struck a sentimental attitude. "I have received too many unwilling kindnesses at your hands, Sir Charles," he continued, "not to feel how wrong

n the boat and stretched out a rug to us. "Catch!" she cried, in a merry voice

remember. We're so glad to have seen you in your lovely Scotch home you were always so proud of! Don't be frightened, please. We wouldn't hurt you for worlds. We are so sorry we have to take this inhospitable means of evading you. But dear David-I must call him dear David still-instinctively felt that you were beginning to suspect us; and he can't bear mistrust. He is so sensitive! The mome

terror and anger. "Oh, we shall die here!" he exclaimed. "N

cies! Well, ta-ta! I'm off! You nearly scored one this time; but, by putting you here for the moment, and keeping you till we're gone, I venture to

Charles shrieked out. "We

t be compelled to find some new and far less lucrative source of plunder. Your heirs, executors, or assignees might not suit my purpose. The fact of it is, sir, your temperament and mine are exactly adapted one to the other. I understand you; and you do not understand me-which is often the basis of the firmest friendships. I can catch you just where you are trying to catch other people. Your very smartness assists me; f

. Yes, genius as he is, he positively cowered. "And do you mea

oose, you know, in certain relations. Smartest man on the Stock Exchange, I readily admit; easiest fool to bamboozle in the open country that ever I met with. You fail in one thing-the perspic

ttle fleas upon the

ve lesser fleas, a

ou possess, like the mosquito, a beautiful instrument of suction-Founders' Shares-with which you absorb the surplus wealth of the community. In my smaller way, again, I relieve you in turn of a portion of the plunder. I am a R

ked at him

o turn away from so valuable a carcass, in order to batten myself, at considerable trouble, upon minor capitalists, out of whom it is difficult to extract a few hundreds. It may have puzzled you to guess why I fix upon you so persis

telling me all this?" Sir

you are beforehand, the greater credit and amusement is there in besting you. Well, now, ta-ta once more! I am wasting valuable time. I might be

up in the stern and shouted aloud through her pretty hands to us. "By-bye, dear Sir Charles!" she cried. "Do wrap the rug

padded cushions. As for myself, I climbed with some difficulty to the top of the cliff, landward, and tried to make signals of distress with my handkerchief to some passer-by on the mainl

ed that they might even swoop down upon us and bite us. They did not, however, but their flapping wings added none the less a painful touch of eeriness to our hunger and solitude. Charles was ho

t aroused us to action. We rushed down to the landing-place and cooee'd for the men, to show them where we were. Th

n. It was half-past twelve by the gatehouse clock when we reached the castle. Men had been sent along the coast each way to seek us. Amelia had gone to bed, much alarmed for our safety. Isabel was sittin

An empty envelope alone had arrived at the house, and the postal authorities had been engaged meanwhile, with their usual lightning speed, in "investigating the matter." Césarine had posted the letter herself at Fowlis, and brought back the

t Rudesheimer, his spirits and valour revived exceedingly. Doubtless he inherits from his Boe

him. To detect him in time is half-way to catching him. Only the remoteness of our position at Seldon Castle saved him from captu

on the Seamew's island, all trace of them vanished. At no station along the line could we gain any news of them. Their maid had left the inn the same mornin

hopes of catching

rascal flung back at us as the boat receded: "Sir Charles Vandrift, we are a pa